


Happy Birthday, Jon

by kribban



Series: Fake News RPF Ficlets 2010-2014 [1]
Category: Fake News RPF
Genre: Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-02
Updated: 2017-01-02
Packaged: 2018-09-14 08:15:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 498
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9170341
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kribban/pseuds/kribban
Summary: Jon's 50th birthday present to himself is one he's been waiting for.





	

The last few steps were almost as light as on his wedding day. The corridor leading up to the Rendezvous Room was painted a light shade of yellow. If Tracey were here she would be able to tell him if it was Maize or Jasmine. Jon could imagine it had been carefully selected by the psychiatric consultants as the most soothing color. Jon didn't need soothing. He was so excited that his feet did little dancing steps as he went. 

He had started imagining this day a couple of years ago, as the monthly payments started getting bigger. One million dollars paid over seventeen years had seemed like a lot at the time. He just hoped it would be worth it.

The psychiatric evaluation had been less rigorous this time around. Probably because there was less at stake now. I mean, they couldn't really forbid him to Rendezvous, could they? 

He had been warned not to divulge any information about the last seventeen years. It wasn't because they were scared that he would cheat on the stock market. The wipe was permanent and absolute, as he himself could attest to. It was probably the only reason why they didn't guard their customers at gun point.

No, the reason was much more simple: if he upset his younger self, their meeting would be ruined. 

Yes, he had got it. No mention of 9/11, the Iraq war, or the demise of the record store. And above all else, no mention of The Daily Show or Tracey. That last part was pure superstition. Jon's memory was very clear about the fact that he had no memory of the Rendezvous, but he wanted to play it safe. The last thing he wanted was to mess something up and come home to find his kids didn't exist. 

As he finished this thought he found himself in front of the door. The handle was easily pressed down and Jon took a deep breath and stepped inside.

He didn't know whose gasp it was he heard, but he knew he wasn't the one who said ”Holy shit!” Mostly because it was followed by ”Wow, I really do get to fifty.” 

Jon studied his younger self. He was dressed in the hospital issue gown that had no pockets and would be burned after the strip search. His hair was cut just above his ear and it was thick and black. He was at least thirty pounds lighter, but he looked weak like he hadn't quite grown into his looks yet. 

It was a look Jon hadn't seen in the mirror for quite some time.

There was so much that he wanted his younger self's insight on and they had only two hours at their disposal. He had many questions, but there was something he needed to get off his chest first; something he had wanted to say for years. 

”Thank you. Thank you so much for doing this.”

Younger Jon smiled softly. ”Happy Birthday, man.”


End file.
